


Bittersweet

by CaptnSlash



Category: Rise (TV)
Genre: M/M, Rise tv show, Simon/Jeremy, and some other stuff, note in the locker, secret meeting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-14 11:46:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14135427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptnSlash/pseuds/CaptnSlash
Summary: Simon receives a mysterious note from someone telling him to meet them in the library.





	Bittersweet

**Author's Note:**

> I have fallen in love with all the characters on Rise, but none more so than Simon. I hope you like it.

Simon frowned as he unfolded the note that had been shoved into his locker. The only person that had ever left him a note like this was Lillette, but he just saw her in algebra class and she didn't mention leaving anything. He wondered if it had something to do with his leaving in a few days to go to the elite private school that his parents were forcing him to attend. The contents of the note were revealed to him once he got it open.

_**Meet me in the library after school. Come alone.**_

Simon was curious. He just finished the last class of the day and he knew he had to hurry or the person waiting would think he wasn't going to show up and leave. He shoved everything in his arms haphazardly into the locker and closed it while he said a quick prayer that it all wouldn't spill out onto him when he had to open it again. He pivoted on his heels and speed walked to the library. Anyone that saw him would either think he really had to use the bathroom or he was just that excited to be done with school for the day.

He pushed open one of the double doors and stepped inside the school library. No one was in sight and that included the librarian. He heard the door close behind him as he took a few steps toward the circulation desk. His eyes began to search for who could have sent the note while his mind began to wonder if it was some elaborate ruse to get him in an isolated location. There weren't many bullies at school, but the few they had all liked picking on Simon when Lillette wasn't around to stick up for him. 

He felt the breath catch in his throat when he saw Jeremy standing next to the periodicals. It was blocked from view of the entrance and the perfect spot to meet in secret.

"Jeremy? You sent me the note?"

Jeremy ran a hand through his hair as he nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I did. Come here."

Simon thought it was odd, but Jeremy had always seemed like a decent guy. Too decent if he was being perfectly honest. He had almost angelic looks and a voice to match, but those were nothing on his warm personality and sense of humor. Simon walked over so that they were both behind the partition and only a couple feet from each other. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

Jeremy exhaled a breath loudly and he nodded. "You're leaving. There's something you owe me before you go."

It took him exactly three seconds to catch on to what Jeremy was referring to. The butterflies in his stomach began to do somersaults and an entire acrobatic routine as his hands began to tremble. He licked his lips because they were getting dry and he realized how that must have looked. "Jeremy, I don't think we should. It was just for the play."

"Liar," Jeremy said. His voice wasn't accusatory or cruel. He was just stating a fact.

"I think I should go."

Simon started to turn and Jeremy's hand reached up and grabbed his. Simon turned back to face him and for a moment they both stared at their hands and how they looked together. It didn't feel wrong like he had been raised to believe. It felt comforting. Nice.

"I don't want you to go, Simon. I don't want you to change schools and I don't want you to miss out on being in the play. But I don't always get what I want. So, I came up with a solution."

"This is your solution?" Simon asked. He already knew the answer because he was an intelligent guy.

Jeremy smiled and Simon's pupils dilated from the sight of the guy standing in front of him, the guy holding his hand. "I'm going to kiss you now, okay? I can't wait around forever. We don't have a lot of time."

"Okay," Simon replied. The words of his priest and his parents were playing over and over in his mind like a broken MP3 that kept repeating over and over again. He did his best to ignore it and he took a step toward Jeremy so that there was only a few inches left between them. The thing was, Simon knew that he wanted to kiss Jeremy deep down. He just couldn't admit it to himself. 

Jeremy continued to smile as he leaned in and placed their lips together. It was simple and yet it meant so much to Simon. It felt real and all of the things he had been feeling the last few years was suddenly validated in this one moment. He knew this is what was supposed to happen. This was why God gave him the ability to sing. He was meant to perform in the school plays and he was meant to be cast as Hänschen. He had been meant to kiss Jeremy all this time.

The teenagers separated after a handful of seconds and Simon couldn't stop smiling. His life was perfect in this moment and he didn't want it to end. He didn't want to leave school and he didn't want to leave the play. He didn't want to leave Lillette and he one-hundred percent did not want to leave Jeremy when a single kiss with him felt so good. He wanted more kisses and just...more time.

Simon's eyes burst open and his hand swiped at the alarm clock going off on the table next to his bed. It slid off the surface and fell to the floor landing hard enough to trigger the snooze button and quiet the device. His whole body was shaking as the realization of what just happened, what he just felt and experienced, came rushing to the front of his mind. He felt like cursing. He was never the type to do something like that because it was against the way he had been raised. His parents taught him to choose his words carefully, but none of those words fit right now.

"Son of a bitch." He felt sadness and disappointment that it had all been a dream because he knew he'd never have the courage to do it in real life. Now that he was awake, he was back to rationalizing and pretending that everything he felt was just some kind of trick being played on him by Satan. He prayed for God to protect him and help him resist even as he was fully aware that praying the gay away never worked for anyone. This was his life.

And all he wanted was for Jeremy to burst into his room and give him a hug and a kiss and tell him everything was going to be okay. He sat there waiting for five full minutes until the alarm went off again. He scowled at the device and ripped the cord out of the wall as he fought back tears for everything he felt, the feelings he wasn't allowed to feel. He knew he had to start getting ready for school and he didn't care. He sat there staring at the picture of Jesus on his wall as a million thoughts swam through his mind. 

He knew his mother would be there any minute to tell him to hurry up and get ready before he made himself late, but he didn't care. He needed to sit there for just a moment and stare. He felt drained like he hadn't slept in a week and he couldn't bring make himself move. He remembered the way Jeremy's lips felt on his and yes, it was a dream and a trick of the mind and not even remotely real, but it was the closest thing he knew he'd ever have. Some part of him didn't want that to end just yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, that got deep at the end. This story came about because I came to AO3 to see if there were any fics for Simon/Jeremy and I discovered that there wasn't even a Rise category. I had to fix that ASAP and this story just came out. I know the twist I chose is pretty overused, but it somehow felt right with this story. Then that ending came out and now I think I need a soothing cup of tea to recover. Thanks for reading.


End file.
